Something New
by badwolf-27
Summary: Movieverse. Pepperony. Takes place after the end of Iron Man 2. Could turn into a one-shot series or something similar. Enjoy!


**Hey guys! Long time no writing! Been watching the Iron Man movies a lot lately and couldn't get this out of my head so I wrote it out. Not sure what this will turn into, it will either be a multichapter fiction or a one-shot type of series. But whatever, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Iron Man or the charcters of the movies/comics. I only own my writing.

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><p>Pepper watched as Rhodey flew into the distance, when she could no longer see him, she turned back to Tony, who was looking at her. For a moment she thought something was wrong, but then she saw the smile tugging at his lips. Pepper grinned, let out a laugh, and he joined her.<p>

They were standing on a roof in the middle of New York. Half of the expo was destroyed. And Pepper Potts had just kissed Tony Stark.

It had been an interesting day to say the least.

Pepper pulled herself together, catching her breath and coughing a little. She still wasn't over that flu and all of this stress wasn't helping. Tony spoke first. "So, you're really going to resign?"

"As CEO." She confirmed.

"Right. Fair enough." Tony dropped his eyes slightly.

"…but, if it's available…I'll take back my old job." Pepper told him, trying to make up for the fact that she'd only been CEO for a week and was quitting already. It wasn't often that she gave up on something and Tony knew it.

"Oh it's available. I fired Natasha, like ages ago." Tony said, grinning at her.

"You what?" She frowned. "Why?"

"I'll explain another time. When my expo isn't on fire." He answered, gesturing to the flames across the street.

"Yes, well, I think we can leave all of that up to legal and the authorities for the minute. We'll sort it out in the morning." She tucked a lock of copper hair behind her ear. "I'm afraid if I do anything more without a few hours of sleep I may collapse."

She saw the guilt in Tony's eyes. "Pepper I'm s-"

Pepper shook her head. "Lets talk at home, Tony."

He nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

"Thanks." She said, letting out a sigh.

Tony turned around to pick up his discarded helmet and then extended his free hand out to her. Pepper stared at the metal limb, confused. "What?"

"We're going home."

Pepper took a step back. "Oh no! We are not flying, Tony!"

"Why?" He asked, moving closer to her.

"Well firstly, I'll freeze to death!" She gestured to her attire.

"Fine! What do you suggest, Peps? That we hail a cab?"

"Yes."

The look on Tony Stark's face was pretty priceless. Pepper raised an eyebrow, waiting for further objection but none came. Soon enough they were on the sidewalk and Iron Man himself was hailing a cab. Pepper was leaning against a lamppost, slightly unsteady on her feet.

"You okay, Miss Potts?" Tony asked as the cab pulled up.

"I'm fine, Tony. Just a bit of shock." She dismissed him.

They got into the car and Pepper gave the driver the address to their New York home. Which wasn't a very correct description, as it wasn't actually in New York, rather in the surrounding areas where it was possible to buy a house. The driver nodded and pulled out into the traffic.

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><p>Tony attempted to fasten the seatbelt over his suit, failing miserably. Eventually he decided to leave it. If they crashed he was pretty well protected anyway. He turned his attention to the woman sitting next to him. Virginia 'Pepper' Potts was certainly a remarkable woman. Moving from the redhead in accounting, to his personal assistant, to the former CEO of Stark Industries, now back to his PA, and she was still taking care of him.<p>

He wondered for a moment how their relationship was going to change because of that kiss. Would they let it go and continue as they always had? Or could something else start between them? Tony suspected and hoped it was the latter, though he had never been one for relationships. He'd have to work at it and Pepper Potts was certainly worth the effort.

Tony's attention shifted, as he began to notice the cab driver's flicking eyes. The middle-aged man kept looking at him in the rear-view mirror. Pepper had caught on a few seconds before him. "Is there something wrong?" She asked.

"No, no. Sorry. It's just not everyday that you drive Iron Man back to his house." The cabby explained.

Tony watched as Pepper rubbed one of her temples. "Well, could you please keep your eyes on the road? And if anyone should ask, you drove a drunk man, who was a little early for Halloween, and his girl home."

"Ye-yes, ma'am."

There she was, covering their tracks to elude the press till some official statement was made. Always thinking ahead. Tony was pretty sure the man would keep his word, not many people crossed Pepper Potts when it came to business. He studied her for a little longer and flitted his eyes away when she noticed his stare. He looked out of the window, counting the seconds between each streetlight.

In the silence, Tony could feel his adrenalin rush coming to an end. Being replaced by numerous points of pain through his body. He couldn't tell how badly he was hurt, but he felt damn awful. When they got home, he wouldn't be aloud to sleep before Pepper patched him up. Though he wasn't one to complain when she was doing so. After his first few missions in the Iron Man suit, she'd taken several first aid courses. Learnt how to stitch small wounds, treat infection, bandage sprains and all the rest. Tony hadn't asked her to, and when he wanted to know why he couldn't just go to the hospital she had told him that, "You wouldn't admit yourself to hospital in the first place and besides, the less people that find out when you're injured the better."

Which effectively ruled out hospitals unless he was dying. The silence continued for the whole drive and it wasn't until they were pulling up at the driveway when Tony noticed that his and Pepper's hands were joined. He looked down, studying the new image. He was still wearing the suit, so her hand looked tiny and fragile clasped in his. He could feel her gaze and looked up to meet her eyes. Tony felt a strange tugging sensation in his chest. Pepper smiled slightly, taking her hand back. "Come on." She said, getting out of the car.

As Tony got out, Pepper paid the driver and they both walked inside. Immediately they both headed towards the stairs, Tony to the lower that lead to the replica Malibu garage and Pepper to the upper, leading towards the bedrooms. "You go down and get as much of the suit off as you can. I'll get the first aid kit and be down in a second." Then she was gone.

Her words took a moment to sink in through his tired head. Gradually he felt his feet moving down the stairs, hands grasping at the rail from the pain he felt. It took longer than usual to get the suit off, with many groans, yelps and ow's. But he managed the whole thing, including the thin under suit, and was soon standing in just his underwear when he spotted Pepper's long legs descending the stairs. She punched in her key code, opened the glass door and walked over to him. Stopping about two meters away to look at his injuries. She walked around him twice and stopped back in front of him. "Oh, Tony…"

"That bad huh?"

No comment.

Pepper flipped the latch on the first aid box and laid it on the desk. She began to unpack things, sorting them into neat little piles. He expected that each group of supplies accounted for a different wound. There were a lot of piles. "Do I get to sit down?"

"In a minute. Once I'm done with your back and legs." Came her quick reply. Tony always found this side of Pepper fascinating to watch. When she was working normally, her concentration was amazing. But when she was fixing him up, it went to a new level. She didn't speak except to tell him to lift his arm, twist his leg this way, that way, lower his head etc. He had to admit, ever since she'd begun to fix him up like this some six months ago, he'd had many a dream including her and a nurse's outfit.

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><p>Pepper groaned inwardly at the long list of injuries forming in her head. Bruises, shallow cuts, burns, deep cuts, swelling, it went on. Tony stood still as she did her brief examination. When he asked if he could sit down, she felt bad telling him no. They were both so tired. But if they wanted to avoid hospitals and doctors, this needed to be done now. At least it wasn't anything out of her skill range.<p>

She set out her supplies in piles according to injury type, one for burns, one for stiches, one for wound cleaning…She asked Tony to turn around so she could begin on his back. Even though she was helping him, Pepper hated this part, the suppressed groans and lines of strain on Tony's face as she patched him up.

Three stiches, half a packet of band-aids and many applications of creams later, Tony's back and legs were taken care of. She helped him into a pair of trackies and asked him to sit down. She pulled up a chair for herself, sitting across from him.

Tony's eyes fluttered closed. "Ahh. Never doubt the power of a good chair, Peps."

Pepper rolled her head when she was seated, cracking her neck. She pushed herself back into the relieving cushions. "Believe me, I don't."

"Can we rest a moment before the pain continues?" Tony asked her.

"Only a moment, else we'll probably fall asleep." Pepper could already feel her eyes drooping.

Tony gave a chuckle, which ended in a groan. "Ugh, don't make me laugh when my ribs are broken."

"You're ribs aren't broken Tony." Pepper sighed, though a smile graced her face.

They sat like that for a minute or two, eyes closed, leaning back in their respective chairs. Pepper could feel the blood pounding through her head. She was getting one of those bad headaches, the ones she could feel through her whole head and even into her teeth. She made herself get up and grab a glass of water from the small garage kitchen, taking several painkillers from the first aid supplies. The cool water felt good as it travelled down her throat, which was a little sore. She closed her eyes again.

Tony's voice cut through the peace. "Pepper, I'm sorry."

"…"

"You know that most of the time I don't know what to do with myself." He continued when she didn't say anything.

Pepper cracked her eyes open.

"How do you think I was going to act knowing I was dying?" Tony shifted his position and Pepper watched on as he grimaced, tying to lean himself towards her. "If I could go back I…I just…I can't imagine what I put you through."

That was a rare thing. An apology – no – a genuine apology form Tony Stark. Pepper didn't speak, she let the information absorb silently. Slowly, she stood up and washed her hands, continuing on with her work. She could feel Tony's eyes on her, the dark orbs begging for a reply. Pepper tried to collect her thoughts. She'd gone through hell and back these past weeks, could she forgive for that? The stress? The sickness? The worry and hurt? For a moment she wasn't sure, but then she remembered that kiss. Pepper had felt something stir inside of her then, something that she had denied for so long out of professionalism. She paused her work, standing behind Tony, and breathed out. A slight wave of dizziness came over her, so she gripped the table with one hand.

"Tony, if we'd been honest with each other-you with your condition and us about how…how we felt. You know what I would have done?"

"What?" Tony's voice was low, just above a whisper.

"Anything." Pepper replied.

Tony began to turn around. "I don't unders-"

"_Tony_. I would have done _anything_. Anything to make those last moments of your life the best you could've had." Pepper cut him off, stepping around to face him. She could feel tears threatening. She pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to stop her tired eyes from watering. "You know, sometimes I think you forget that you're all that I have."

"…I'm sorry…I know. You're all I have too." Tony tried to stand up, but Pepper pushed him back into the seat, she wasn't done fixing yet. The situation and their words took her back to that day when she had changed Tony's reactor for him. That was so long ago. So much had happened since. She gave Tony a smile. He'd apologised and that's all she could ask for. You can't change the past.

"Lets finish here, I'm almost done, and then we'll go up to bed." She wasn't sure if it was the right way to end their conversation, but right then she couldn't find the energy to care. Tony just nodded and Pepper finished up silently. When the last drop of cream was rubbed in, she helped Tony up out of the chair and they began to walk up the stairs. At ground level they paused to rest. Tony was gritting his teeth in obvious pain and Pepper let out a few coughs. She was defiantly going to apply for leave. Maybe they could go to Venice.

Just as they were about to keep walking up to the bedrooms, Tony stopped, turning Pepper to face him. "You would have done anything?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes." She could hear the suggestion in his voice. But at this point she didn't care and besides, it was the truth.

That seemed to stump the genius for a moment. Without waiting for him to form some kind of reply, Pepper turned away to the steps. Suddenly she was yanked back around by a hand on her arm. "Hey!" But a pair of lips upon her own silenced any protest. Tony's lips to be exact. Twice in one evening, they were doing well.

She relaxed her jaw, responding to the kiss. She felt that stirring again as he nibbled at her bottom lip. Letting out a moan, she opened up to him and the exploration began. Pepper's hands found their way into Tony's hair and one of his settled on her waist, with the other on her cheek. Some part of her wondered if this was all a dream, a trick of her tired mind, though the taste of Tony's lips was too real for her to believe that. The kiss wasn't as needy and quick as the one they had shared earlier. This was slow and deep, as if each person was trying to put all of his or her affection into the one gesture.

The pair continued until they had to break apart for air. Pepper linked her fingers around Tony's neck and he leaned down to touch their foreheads. She opened her eyes to see his dark pools staring into her. She smiled like an idiot and Tony mimicked her.

Pepper leaned in and graced her lips over his again. "We really should get some sleep, Tony. The proper kind."

"Miss Potts, I would never have thought otherwise." He replied with a boyish grin.

"Mmhm."

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><p>Tony's arm wrapped around Pepper's shoulders and hers around his back as they climbed the last of the stairs. He could feel the tiredness in her frame, his own body felt just as exhausted. The second floor of the house was really one long hallway, with many rooms leading off both sides. Tony's usual room was second on the left and Pepper's on the right, all the way down the end of the hall. When he'd first bought the house and given her a choice of room after himself, he'd thought her decision to be so far away a little odd. Though Pepper had told him once that, "Since the rooms aren't soundproofed", she preferred to be as far away from his as possible.<p>

That had hurt. But given his usual night-time activities with various women, it was understandable. They headed towards his room and Tony let go of Pepper to open the door. Immediately he walked over to the bed, pulled back the sheets and sat down. Oh! That felt so good! He bought his legs up and tucked them under the covers, leaning his back against the headboard, and let out a long sigh.

Tony eyed Pepper as she stood in the doorway. Several coughs racked her body and she held the doorframe with one had to support herself. "Pepper, coul-"

"You better not be asking me to wear a surgical mask." She threatened with a half-hearted tone.

"Ha, erhm no. Actually I was going to ask if you wanted to stay here the night." Tony said, patting the space next to him.

"Wanted to?"

"Could you." He corrected. "Please?"

He watched as several expressions crossed Pepper's face. "Tony, I don-"

"C'mon, Pepper. I just want to wake up…an-and know that the only person I have is here, with me." He looked down at his hands and then back up to see her reaction. Pepper's mouth dropped open for a second, but she clamped it shut so fast that Tony wondered if he was seeing things. Surly she wasn't surprised and his statement? Perhaps she was unsettled by his openness. That would make sense. It's not exactly something she would be used to. But all Pepper said was, "Okay."

"Okay?" Tony thought he misheard.

Pepper nodded in conformation, rather than trusting herself to speak. Tony still looked a little confused, so she told him that she was going to get changed and come back. Perhaps he would have his thoughts back together by that point.

She turned around, exiting the room, and walked down the dimly lit hallway. Pepper grasped the familiar handle of her door. They'd been staying at this house more often lately, due to the construction and opening of the expo, but it still wasn't 'home' in her mind. Home was back at Tony's house in California, not that she actually lived there, it was just that she was often there more than her own apartment.

Opening the door, Pepper switched on the light and moved over to the draws where her nightwear was. She pulled out an old t-shirt and some long pyjama pants, even in his current state, she didn't trust Tony with shorts or a tank top at this point. Over the last ten years Pepper had gained a pretty good idea of how her boss felt about her legs and she wasn't keen to test his self-control tonight. Chucking the items onto her bed, she took off her jewellery and shoes on her way to the bathroom.

She opened the mirror door and rummaged through the shelves, searching for any kind of cold medicine. Her fingers pulled out a bottle of cough syrup and a few nasal sprays. That would do for now. She took the recommended dose of each and splashed water over her face. Back in the main room, Pepper stripped down and got changed into her pyjamas. She then grabbed her phone off the desk, flipped the light switch on her way out and walked back down the hall.

Tony was in the same position he had been when she'd left. Pepper ignored his glance as she got into bed beside him, placing her phone down on the bedside table after switching it off. She slipped her legs under the covers and let her head fall down on to the pillow, pulling the sheets up to her stomach. Tony clicked his fingers, turning off the lights, and it was only the glow of surrounding houses and the moon coming in through the cracks in the blinds that illuminated their faces. Pepper felt a hand closing around hers. She looked up at Tony as he lay down properly, settling on his side so that he faced her, their hands between them.

"Do you feel weird?" He asked quietly.

"No, just tired." Pepper's eyelids felt like lead and she decided to give in to their nagging, shutting everything out but Tony's voice.

"Exhausted." He added.

"…and sick." She finished. Pepper felt Tony squeeze her hand and she shuffled into a more comfortable position, ready to go to sleep. She was nearly there when a whisper cut through the fogginess.

"Thanks, Pepper."

She smiled. "Anything for you, Mr. Stark."

His deep chuckle was the last thing Pepper heard before she gave in to slumber.


End file.
